Butternut squash and cashews form the simple creamy base of this surprisingly cheesy "cheese" sauce. Spooned over toasted crusty bread, it's the ultimate comfort food. No actual cheese required!
Ingredients
Butternut "cheese" sauce:
2cupscubed peeled butternut squashabout 1/2 small squash, seeds removed
1/3cupraw cashews
1/4cup- 1/2 cup water
2tablespoonsfreshly squeezed lemon juice
1medium clove garlicroughly diced
1heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast
1teaspoonvegan worcestershire sauce
1teaspoonstone-ground brown mustard
1/2teaspoondry mustard
1/2teaspoononion powder
1/4teaspoonground white pepper
1/8teaspoonsmoked paprika
1/2teaspoonkosher salt + more to taste
For the toasts:
8slicescrusty breadcan sub gluten-free bread
2tablespoonsolive oil
Garnish (optional):
Fresh snipped chives
Instructions
Place squash and cashews into a medium pot. Cover with water. Place on stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the squash is fork-tender, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the bread. Brush both sides with olive oil and brown under your oven's broiler. Remove from oven and set aside.
Drain squash and cashews and add them to the pitcher of a high-powered blender. Add 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, worcestershire, brown mustard, dry mustard, onion powder, white pepper, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a thick sauce forms.
Taste and add additional salt if desired.
Place each toast on a plate and pour "cheese" sauce over the top. Garnish with chives if desired and serve.
Leftover sauce can be refrigerated; it stays good for 3-4 days. It can thicken as it sits; simply thin with a bit of water when heating it back up.